Reserve Airmen train and provide medical support during Belize exercise

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Steve Lewis
  • 459th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
Editor's Note:  459th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Unit Public Affairs Representatives currently deployed to Belize contributed to this news story.

When many people think of Belize, they picture scuba diving, touring nature preserves or visiting one of the several Mayan Temples in the country. That is not the case for Airmen of the 459th Expeditionary Aerospace Medicine Squadron, who recently deployed to the developing Central American country late March.

Comprised mainly of technicians, nurses, surgeons and physicians, the 459 EAMDS was formed by Reserve Airmen from the 459th Aerospace Medicine Squadron and the 459th Aerospace Staging Squadron, 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md., as well as over 42 medical providers from other units across the U.S. Air Force. They arrived in Belize on military aircraft fully loaded with gear to support the humanitarian Medical Readiness Training Exercise (MEDRETE).

The MEDRETE, which runs from March 26 to April 9 in Belize, is designed to bring humanitarian assistance and free medical care to its host country citizens. The exercise stresses the concept of helping others while practicing military skills in a joint partnership with the host nation and medical units from other U.S. Air Force bases. The MEDRETE is organized and run each year by the U.S. Air Force Southern Command, headquartered at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., and the Air Force Reserve Command International Health Service, headquartered at Robins Air Force Base, Ga. 

The 42 medical providers from the following units joined the 459 ARW for the MEDRETE:

301st Medical Squadron, Naval Air Station, Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas
940th AMDS, Beale AFB, Calif.
507th AMDS, Tinker AFB, Okla.
927th Aerospace Medicine Flight, MacDill AFB, Fla.
920th ASTS, Patrick AFB, Fla.
622nd ASTS, Robins AFB, Ga.,
932nd ASTS, Scott AFB, Ill.

The MEDRETE concept enhances global relationships by providing military health care experts who have been trained in different languages and have an understanding of various cultures around the world. In most cases, the MEDRETE also provides opportunities for these Airmen to give medical care to a population that may not have received professional health treatment their entire lives.

Another benefit of the joint exercise is the training the Reserve Airmen receive in a real-world setting, while providing medical care for the local population.

"We had seen more than 1300 patients, just into our third day in Belize," said Maj. Leonard Richardson, 459 AMDS flight surgeon. Major Richardson said among the growing number of patients, he and other fellow Airmen provided care for cases of respiratory diseases, headaches, infections and numerous cases of asthma.

Eye, dental and other forms of health care have also been provided by the medical Airmen in Belize. So far 232 pairs of glasses have been distributed by optometrists and 159 teeth have been pulled by dentists. Local food and hygiene practices were also reviewed by the medical staff to help establish preventative health measures in the district they were based out of.

"Preparing for this type of high-volume patient care takes countless man-hours and months of preparation," said Col. Michele Williams, 459 EAMDS deployed commander and commander of the 459 AMDS, the MEDRETE lead unit from Joint Base Andrews. "The services provided and satisfaction received in less fortunate areas of the world like this is immeasurable," she said.

In order to begin providing medical care to the Belize population, the Reserve Airmen first had to establish clinics in various villages once they arrived. Often times the servicemembers had to traverse unpaved roads, making transportation between villages challenging. To help the U.S. Air Force units travel around the country and establishing clinics, the Belizean government stepped in and played a central role throughout their stay.

"We had support from local medical personnel through the Belize Ministry of Health as well as Belize military personnel, which were coordinated through the U.S. Embassy," said Tech. Sgt. Patricia Moynihan, 459 AMDS health services administration technician. "The Belize Ministry of Education also graciously allowed us to use their schools as makeshift clinics, suspending classes for the time we were there," she said.

Capt. Erik Baldwin, a lead mission planner from the 459 AMDS for the MEDRETE, said the experience has been beneficial both for both the people of Belize and the medical Airmen so far.

"This MEDRETE was a new opportunity for many and a chance to see how we can assist with medical care in an under privileged part of the country," said Captain Baldwin. "Regardless of skill levels, all team members are having a very valuable and rewarding experience through this firsthand encounter with a developing nation's health care needs," he said.

With just three short days left in the MEDRETE, the 459 ARW Airmen and other Air Force medical providers will continue to provide medical care to the people of Belize while receiving invaluable training during their stay. The opportunity to work with other joint partners, including medical specialists from many other units across the U.S. Air Force, will also help the Airmen prepare for other real-world scenarios that could take place in the years to come.